


Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

by Morrigayn_DeWyvern



Series: Bellum Cybertronus [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Infanticide, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 10:48:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2022270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morrigayn_DeWyvern/pseuds/Morrigayn_DeWyvern
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part One of Bellum Cybertonus. I did some research on gladiators in ancient Rome.  I am using those terms and points of reference for this story as the caste system on Cybertron in Transformers: Prime reminds me a great deal of Republican & and Imperial Rome. The title means “Hell invokes Hell” or in common speech “one misstep leads to another.”  I think both interpretations are rather apt for a story concerning Megatronus in the Gladiatorial Pits.</p><p>Disclaimer:  I don’t own Transformers: Prime, nor am I making money.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

**Author's Note:**

> Roman Gladiators were slave fighters that usually were bought slaves, captives of war or condemned criminals. Those not condemned as a criminal could and often did earn their freedom through earnings from winnings or favor with the crowd (vidors). However, most died in the arenas. Not all fights were munus/munera (fight to the death) some were sine missione (without release of death) especially during the Imperial Period. Below are a few terms that will be used:
> 
> Summa Rudis-referee
> 
> Editor-Citizen, Noble or Imperial sponsor of gladiatorial games
> 
> Lanista-Owner/Trainer of gladiators
> 
> Lorarius-person whipped reluctant fighters or animals to fight
> 
> Myrmillo-gladiator that was armored and helmed, equipped with gladius and oblong, legionary shield and spear that was to be used first, name means fish as the helm was shaped like a fish
> 
> Bestiarus-gladiator who fought primarily animals
> 
> Paegminaus-burlesque (fake) duels during breaks between gladiatorial combat 
> 
> Retiarius-gladiator that used trident, dagger and net, fought on a pons (platform), usually fought against 2 myrmillonis; considered the weakest and effeminate of the gladiator classes
> 
> Tertiarius-third gladiator in a trine fight or a replacement for a gladiator
> 
> Venator-animal trainer or performer of tricks with animals, not considered gladiator
> 
> Rudiarus-freed gladiator

Megatronus heard the rap of the lanista on the door to his quarters under the amphitheatre. It was time for the Editor’s Procession to open the gladiatorial games in Kaon. Today, the Editor was the High Councilor Halogen. Halogen had paid many millions of Cybertronian credits to rent the gladiators and others performers from Megatronus’ lanista. Megatronus also suspected Halogen, Sigil and the other cronies had also paid for the services of the gladiators and other performers after the games. While the games were in theory illegal, in reality many of the nobility and merchant castes staged the gladiatorial games for their own amusement and to keep the populous entertained and occupied on the glory of the spectacle instead of their miserable plights.

Megatronus hated the High Councilor with his entire spark. It was because of him and those like him that the lower castes lived fought and died in the Pit that was their existence. He also had a more personal reason to hate Halogen. It was Halogen who had won Megatronus’ seals at the auction when he came of age. Halogen had been brutal and uncaring when he took Megatronus. He also shared Megatronus with Sigil and many of his cronies. Even today, Megatronus was still Halogen’s favorite, and he knew that Halogen would be anticipating subduing the gladiator and would revel in having the gladiator’s protoform underneath and penetrated by Halogen’s decrepit frame. 

Megatronus groaned as pain spread in his chassis. Today, he could not afford to play to the crowd. He would have to end the combat quickly as it was a munus instead of sine missione fight, and he would become weaker as time went on. Points for hits or a defeat would not count today. It was energon and an extinguished spark that Halogen and the crowd wanted. The pain slowly ebbed away. Megatronus knew it would only come again and increase in intensity, but there was nothing to do about it this day as he was never allowed a tertiarius unless he was recovering from serious wounds or in stasis lock.

Megatronus checked in the hologram mirror his appearance for the last time before the procession began. His grey armor was smooth throughout and polished to a high sheen, and his battle mask covered all but slits for his optics as he was fighting a retiarius. He didn’t want the trident to enter his optics or the nets to catch on the usual barbs and hooks that were on his regular armor as a myrmillo. His spear was razor sharp as was his gladius; both gleamed wickedly in the dim light. His legionary shield was polished to a mirror like finish. He looked every bit the part of the famous, deadly gladiator. Megatronus’ red optics glittered with deadly intent as he left the quarters to join the procession.

Halogen and his cronies were in the front of the procession followed by the scribe to record the events and then the musicians followed by the paegminaius, venatores and then the gladiators in the rear. Megatronus could hear the blasts of trumpets and the beat of drums announcing the Editor and the procession. The roar of the crowd became deafening as the procession made its way into the amphitheatre and slowly circled it. Megatronus could see the multicolored flags and other decorations on the walls of the amphitheatre as well as the many signs and memorabilia the crowd waved in ecstasy as they caught sight of Megatronus. His chassis puffed out with pride and his armor flared in response to the crowd’s adoration. He briefly forgot the pain radiating in his chassis as he basked in the crowd’s adulation. After the procession circled the amphitheatre, Halogen and the other guests of honor were seated in their boxes. Those participating in the games went back into the warrens that made up the belly of the amphitheatre to await their turn in the arena. Gladiatorial combat was always last-the pinnacle of the spectacle. Megatronus would wait most of the day in the underground. It would be a long day for him. When he returned to his quarters, he turned on a monitor in the wall to watch as the spectacle unfolded and made himself as comfortable as possible on his berth.

The first act of the spectacle was always the beasts. Organic and non-organic beasts were collected and shipped back to Cybertron from all over the galaxies. Some were gruesome and violent and others were so delicate and beautiful as to steal the ventilations of the spectators. The venatores would show the lovely beasts off in tricks and other staged events. After the venatores, the bestiarus would fight to the death the more brutal and vicious of the animals. Megatronus watched with distracted disinterest at the animals. The pains in his chassis were increasing in time and strength. He prayed to Primus that he would be able to fight in the games. He did not want to feel the lash of the lorarius to encourage him to fight.

The spectacle broke up for the noon day rations. Energon hawkers made their way through the crowds selling various grades and other treats to the crowds. Condemned prisoners were led into the amphitheatre to be executed by Enforcers or to be torn to pieces by the animals. The crowd roared and threw trash at the prisoners in disgust and glee at such a dishonorable end. After the criminals had been dispatched, the pleasure bots made their way into the amphitheatre. The lights dimmed and mist was released. Musicians began to play a slow, seductive melody. The crowd avidly watched as mechs, femmes and beasts interfaced in various positions with each other and with various objects. Pimps made their ways through the crowds offering the mechs, femmes and beasts going rates for the evening. There were many fights that broke out between members of the crowds over the bidding.

Halogen and his cronies watched the scenes with boredom. They did not come to see the animals or the sex. They cared little for the criminals and usually didn’t even know who they were or of the charges they were condemned. That was entertainment for the lower castes. They came to see the honorable gladiatorial bouts to remember the glory days of Cybertron, and how it was to die with honor. They also came to spend the evenings taking their pleasure from the gladiators and relish their power over them.  


After the midday break ended, the paegmiarii entered the amphitheatre to perform mock gladiatorial battles. Some were comic and others were used to warm the crowds for the coming attraction. The crowd laughed and cheered in anticipation of the coming event.

Megatronus had turned the monitor off in his quarters as soon as the midday break came. He hated the midday break. Most of the criminals were those who questioned the status quo or were driven to desperation for fuel or other supplies. He would shudder with disgust at the sex shows. Interfacing was an ugly part of his existence, and he could not watch others be subjugated in that way. The pains in his chassis were constant and strong now. They were mere kliks apart. The lanista banged on his door again to signal the gladiatorial combat was to begin. Megatronus hissed in pain and stood. He composed himself and made his way to the amphitheatre floor. He walked out of the gate and looked into the crowds. The crowds were on their peds cheering for him. That sound calmed him as nothing else could. No one could see any signs of discomfort or pain in the bearing or expressions of the gladiator, only calm resolve and deadly intent.

Megatronus turned to see his opponent already on the pons with his trident and net at hand. Megatronus would fight alone today instead of with another as he was a large mech as was his opponent. He saluted the Editor and turned crouching in his battle stance waiting for the retiarius to make his first move. The retiarius threw his net at Megatronus hoping to tangle the mech in it. Megatronus lifted his spear as the net flew toward him. The net wrapped and tangled on the spear. He gave a great heave, and the retiarius lost grip on the net lest he be pulled from the pons on the ground to fight hand to hand with Megatronus. The crowd screamed in delight at the first bout. Megatron removed the net from his spear and threw it to the crowds. The crowd began to fight and pull the net into pieces for a memento of the occasion. He then turned back to face his opponent above him. Pain radiated from his chassis so hard his armor rattled. He hissed trying to draw in enough air to cool his frame and ease the pain. He had to make this short. He threw his speak with all his might. The retiarius turned, and the spear flew past his chassis leaving only a score in the armor. Megatronus cursed at his luck this day.

The retiarius made a running leap from the pons intending on driving his trident into the chassis of Megatronus. Megatronus lifted his shield as the retiarius collided with him. The trident punched through the shield as the two gladiators fell to the ground. Megatronus gritted his dentals and tried not to scream as the pain in his chassis peaked at the same time the retiarius landed on him trident sinking into his chassis armor. They rolled for minutes on the ground of the amphitheatre. The Summa Rudis barked a command for the two gladiators to separate and move to the opposite sides of the amphitheatre. The retiarius was without his trident as he moved to his side of the amphitheatre. The barbs on the end of the trident had made it impossible to withdraw from the shield. Megatronus did not release his grip on the shield. He stumbled to his feet. There were three punctures in his chassis from the trident but there was no energon as they did not penetrate deep. Megatron pulled the trident and the shield from his chassis with a roar and threw it to the edges of the amphitheatre. The pain was unbelievable. The pain was radiating from his chassis down to his pelvis and legs. Megatronus felt dizzy from the combined effects of the pain and the exertion of the fight. He knew his time was at hand. However, retiarius was left only with a dagger to defend himself. 

Usually, Megatronus would have played the scene out further toying with his opponent for the crowds and for the Editor. Megatronus lunged at the retiarius, but like most of the retiarii class, he was agile and swift. His sword met with air. He felt the sting of the retiarius’ dagger slicing between his armor at his wrist. Megatronus felt the grip on his sword weaken as small cables had been sliced from the attack. The retiarius nimbly danced out of the large gladiator’s reach. This went on again and again. The crowds were growing angry and restless as they watched their favorite gladiator receive more and more cuts and blows to his being. They were confused as to why the gladiator was not fighting at his usual peak against the most weak and effeminate of the gladiator classes.

Megatronus stood with his head bowed and his vents screaming as he tried to draw air. He bled energon from multiple wounds. The wounds themselves were not fatal, but the accumulated energon loss would eventually cause him to collapse then the retiarius would take his spark. The pain would not stop now. He hurt from his chassis and the many wounds. He felt a popping from within and felt a flood of fluids from between his thighs as the next wave of pain peaked in his chassis. The retiarius gasped at the sight and stood stupefied as he watched mercurial fluids pour down the gladiator’s legs. Megatronus used the retiarius’ momentary shock to his advantage and tackled him. He drove his opponent to the ground and pinned him. He shoved the gladius deep into the throat of the retiarius and pushed up hard. Megatronus felt the crunch of armor and protoform giving way and the spark of circuits as they were sliced. He felt the hard casing of the retarius' processor against the point of his gladius. With a war cry, he shoved it through the processor. The red optics of the retiarius dimmed and his protoform began to convulse as his processor malfunctioned. Megatronus withdrew his gladius and used it to pry open the chest plates of the retiarius. He saw the spark chamber and proceeded to rip it out of the chassis of the retiarius. He lifted the spark chamber to the sky with a howl of agony and triumph; energon ran in thick rivulets down Megatronus’ arm and spatterd on his faceplates. The crowd screamed and howled in mad delight as they watched the spark explode from the chamber and extinguish.

Megatronus stood and faced the Editor and saluted. The Editor rose and offered his blessing upon Megatronus and the vidor of credits he had earned in the amphitheatre today. He bowed to receive the vidor graciously and turned to leave the amphitheatre listening to the bombastic music and the crowds chanting his name. Once inside the gate leading to the bowels of the amphitheatre away from the crowds, Megatronus went to his knees and keened in pain. The lanista came over immediately.

“What is wrong?” the lanista demanded.

“I am in the final stages of emergence.” Megatron gasped out between gritted dentals.

“WHAT?” the lanista yelled, “Why didn’t you purge it when you found out?”

“I didn’t know until it was too late to purge.”

“You fragging glitch…do you know how many credits you cost me tonight...how many you will lose from the vidor they would have paid you personally? I’ll have to make excuses to Halogen and his guests…Medicus…get over here and take care of this problem!” the lanista yelled to the doctor.

The lanista was not cruel to his gladiators, but he was realistic about the revenue earned and loss with them. He did not like unforeseen problems to arise.

The doctor helped Megatronus to his feet and pulled him to medical bay. He helped Megatronus sit down and proceeded to run a scan on the gladiator.

“Primus, you fought while emerging?” the doctor said.

“Did I have a choice?” Megatron growled.

The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment, “No, I suppose not. Let’s get these cuts taken care of and get some energon into you. I can’t give you anything for the pain now…you are too far along in the emergence process.”

Megatronus wanted to ask about the sparkling, but couldn’t bring himself to ask. 

The doctor cleaned and applied aid to the multiple wounds the gladiator had acquired in the amphitheatre and installed a rich energon drip to replenish what was lost during the fight as well as keep the large gladiator strong enough for the coming emergence. He carefully monitored the emergence process, as well.

“Who sparked you?” the doctor asked.

“Who do you think? Halogen!” Megatron spat between waves of pain.

“Hmm…I would have figured it would have been one of the merchant or military castes to do something so uncouth…goes to show, there is no accounting for taste even within the nobility.” the doctor said.

Megatronus cried out in pain. The doctor ran another scan.

“You need to move to the floor in a squatting position. It is time.”

Megatronus nodded dumbly and slid down and leaned against the berth. The change in position caused the sparkling to push further down into his valve increasing the pressure and pain exponentially. He ventilated hard.

“Push on the next wave of pain. Use your abdomen cables to bear down. Get ready!” Medicus said.

Megatronus pushed hard. He saw bursts of light in his optics from the pain. He screamed as the sparkling’s helm slid lower toward the exit of his body.

“Good. Now ventilate, Megatronus. Good, a few more like that, and the sparkling will be free.”

Megatronus whimpered in pain. This was worse than any wound he had received in gladiatorial combat. The next wave of pain crested. He keened between gritted dentals and pushed again. The doctor was between Megatronus legs helping with the sparkling’s emergence. Its helm was at the valve rim. Medicus could see the sparkling was large like its Carrier which accounted for the pain. Medicus gently rubbed lubricant around the valve rim and used his digits to try to stretch the valve rim so Megatronus would not tear. He bore down as the next wave of pain peaked. The sparkling’s helm emerged from Megatronus’ valve. Its optics on-lined at once, and it started to chirp for its Carrier which startled the gladiator.

“What is that?” Megatron gasped.

“Your sparkling is strong and letting you know that.” 

Megatronus hissed and bore down again. The sparkling’s shoulders passed through his valve eliciting another groan from his Carrier, and the doctor gently pulled the sparkling free of his Carrier’s valve. Megatronus cried out in pain and relief at the same time. A flood of gestational fluid issued forth from his valve carrying detached circuitry and cables that had sustained the sparkling in Megatronus’ gestational chamber.

“Okay, Megatronus. It is over, now. See if you can rise to the berth and lay down.” 

Megatronus rose slowly and weakly crawled into the berth. The doctor was busy cleaning the sparkling off. The sparkling was struggling and chirping for its Carrier.

“Hold on, I’ll give you to him.” The doctor said as he cleaned the sparkling of the gestational fluids and lubricant that coated it. The doctor wrapped the mechling up and handed him to his Carrier, and then proceeded to scan Megatronus for complications.

“You are fine Megatronus. You will need two orns off to recover. I’ll let the lanista know.” The doctor commed the lanista at the news of the emergence along with the information of the Sire. Medicus then cleaned the effluvia from the emergence off of the floor and put a warming blanket with a static charge on Megatronus’ lower body to ease the pain.

Megatronus looked at the sparkling in his arms. The little mech flared his EM fields to overlap with his Carrier’s and looked in Megatronus’ optics. The mechling’s optics were crimson like his Carrier’s. Megatronus could not see any characteristics of the mechling’s sire, but he was mere kliks old and primarily silver protoform with soft protective armor that was the dull grey of his Carrier. Megatronus was overwhelmed and confused. He didn’t know what to feel for the sparkling sired on him by rape, but he could see it was strong and was very attached to him, already. Megatronus looked up as the lanista walked in.

“Let me see it, Megatronus.”

Megatronus reluctantly handed the sparkling over to lanista. The mechling began to click and chirr in anger at being taken away from his Carrier. The lanista took one look at the mechling and casually crushed its helm with his hand, killing it instantly. He then tossed the body of the mechling into the medical waste receptacle. Medicus and Megatronus stared in stupefied horror.

Megatronus screamed in agonized fury and lunged at the lanista. In his weakened state, the lanista easily bested him and turned an electric prod on him. Megatronus collapsed on the floor, twitching and groaning in pain as he fell into unconsciousness.

“Why, lanista?” the doctor asked in suppressed anger.

“Megatronus is our top credit maker. The nobles and the plebes adore him. I cannot take him out of the games so he can parent a sparkling. Where would we put it?” the lanista explained. 

“Couldn’t we have given it to an orphanage or a couple that wanted a sparkling?” the doctor asked genuinely in sorrow.

“Is your processor glitched, Medicus? The first time that sparkling needed medical care a CNA scan by the doctor would reveal that the High Councilor sired a bastard with a gladiator slave. Can you imagine what kind of problems that would cause for us all when that got out to the public at large? It is better this way. I didn’t know that Halogen was so depraved as to want to force a spark merge with Megatronus, or this would have never happened. You will install a crystal diffuser into Megatronus’ spark so he will not be able to conceive again no matter who is uncouth enough to merge with him.” The lanista turned to leave.

The lanista felt nothing one way or the other about the sparkling only seeing it as an impediment to the process of acquiring more credits. If the sparkling had been sired by another gladiator or even one of the lower castes, they could have sent it to an orphanage or given to other slaves to raise, but being as it was the bastard of the High Councilor, it was an impossible situation the lanista found himself in so he took the most direct approach to dealing with it. It was his right as lanista to preside over all issues of life and death concerning his slaves.

“Yes, lanista.” 

Megatronus woke a solar cycle later. He stared at the ceiling as tears of coolant and cleanser ran down his optics for the sparkling and himself. The doctor came to scan the gladiator when he noticed he was awake.

“I am sorry, Megatronus. We are slaves. Our lives have no meaning beyond what the Nobles and our owners decide for us. That is our fate.”

Megatronus didn’t answer but continued to stare at the ceiling.

“Lanista had me install a crystal diffuser into your spark. As long as you are a slave, no other will conceive with you. If you ever win your freedom and become a Rudiarus, you can have it removed. Lanista has agreed to the two orns you need to recover, and your next matches have been scheduled.”

Megatronus turned his head away from the doctor. The doctor ventilated heavily and left the medical room. There was nothing to be said to comfort the gladiator, and the doctor was too embittered by life to linger long over the suffering of it.  


Megatronus clicked and chirred at the Pit of his life. The pain and grief were a black, Stygian river in which he was drowning. Anger slowly overcame the grief. He would not be cowed and defeated-not by Halogen…not by the lanista…not by anyone. He vowed that one day the High Councilor would be sent to the Pit by his own hand. One day, slavery would be no more…the caste system would be no more. Those who had inflicted the Pit on others would endure the same. He swore to Primus there would be a reckoning of the likes of which even Unicron the Destroyer could never imagine.


End file.
